Surf Rod guides (eyes), looking for advice

[Boritch]

Hello everyone!

Many here seem to have a great deal of surf fishing experience, and I would greatly appreciate your advice. When the warden lets me, I fish Avon beach and occasionally when its not a zoo, the Cape Point. I have been surf fishing for three years. I bought a 14 foot MeatHunter off ebay for 20 bucks and I put a 525mag on it and fished it twice now. Up until now I had been fishing spinning reels. I have 20# high vis on the 525 and for a beginner, I think I cast it decently. The one problem I am having is that when I tie on a shock leader (40# mono) the knot seems to catch in the top guides of the rod. This two piece rod has one large eye on the bottom, and I think 7 eyes on the top piece counting the tip. The tip and last five eyes are all rather small, and just thin wire metal guides, not plastic like most others I have seen. I believe I'm tieing my knot and trimming it correctly. Frank and Frans showed me how to tie two lines together, I think its a uni knot. So, what to do? I've been fishing it without a leader, but I would like to be able to put on a leader and cast 8oz without having the knot catch the guide, birdsnest at the tip, and lose my rig. Can the Meathunter be modified so it will work with a leader? If so how? Thank you very much for your time and feedback. Cheers! :beer:

[notso]

Hello everyone!

Many here seem to have a great deal of surf fishing experience, and I would greatly appreciate your advice. When the warden lets me, I fish Avon beach and occasionally when its not a zoo, the Cape Point. I have been surf fishing for three years. I bought a 14 foot MeatHunter off ebay for 20 bucks and I put a 525mag on it and fished it twice now. Up until now I had been fishing spinning reels. I have 20# high vis on the 525 and for a beginner, I think I cast it decently. The one problem I am having is that when I tie on a shock leader (40# mono) the knot seems to catch in the top guides of the rod. This two piece rod has one large eye on the bottom, and I think 7 eyes on the top piece counting the tip. The tip and last five eyes are all rather small, and just thin wire metal guides, not plastic like most others I have seen. I believe I'm tieing my knot and trimming it correctly. Frank and Frans showed me how to tie two lines together, I think its a uni knot. So, what to do? I've been fishing it without a leader, but I would like to be able to put on a leader and cast 8oz without having the knot catch the guide, birdsnest at the tip, and lose my rig. Can the Meathunter be modified so it will work with a leader? If so how? Thank you very much for your time and feedback. Cheers! :beer:

Any tackle shop can replace the tip in about 5 minutes for about 5bucks. Messing w/ any of the other guides is probably going to cost more than you paid for the rod. There are lots of other inexpensive rods out there, so if a different tip doesn't fix you up, I would replace the rod.
JMHO

[BubbaBlue]

Suggest trying a nice and tight Albright shock knot (http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35666), and if that doesn't work, get a new rod.
Unless you luuuuv that rod, it isn't worth paying to get new guides on it.

MHO.
.

[junkmansj]

On the surf rods i build the smallest guide I use is a 12MM with a 12 MM tip, On my personal rods it is 16 MM with a 16 MM tip. This is Ring size not tube.

Also try dropping down to 17# test it seems to be line of choice for the 525 Mag,use it on mine

Take the rod to Hatterass Jacks or Red Drum Tackle and have the Guides replaced

[Boritch]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm going to replace the tip and string up 17#. Lets see if that gets me home. If not I think I will invest in an OM heavy. Cheers!

[Boritch]

Oh yeah. I'll definitely give the albright a try. Good tip. Thanks.